The invention relates to the front part of the chassis of a motor vehicle, in particular an electric-propulsion vehicle, and more particularly to the fastening of a front longitudinal member.
In conventional solutions for transferring force from the front of the vehicle toward the rear during a frontal impact, the majority of the forces are transferred from a front longitudinal member toward a central longitudinal member which is situated in the continuation thereof along the longitudinal axis of the chassis. A lesser part of the forces is transferred laterally by a lateral skirt or by a tunnel at the centre of the chassis.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,926,352 describes a motor vehicle chassis of this type comprising two longitudinal members at the front of the vehicle distributed on each side, a central floor tunnel, and two central longitudinal members for transferring the forces experienced during a frontal impact to the rear of the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,810,878 describes a motor vehicle chassis comprising a bumper mounted on front longitudinal members transmitting the forces experienced during a frontal impact to the rear part of a motor vehicle via central longitudinal members passing below the central floor of the motor vehicle and skirts mounted at the periphery of the chassis.
In the case of an electric vehicle, the central floor is generally raised so as to allow the battery to be housed therebelow. The central longitudinal member passing below the floor then reduces the available storage space for the batteries, mainly along a transverse axis, that is to say in a direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction of the vehicle. This reduction in the available storage space is highly prejudicial for the storage capacity of the batteries and therefore for the autonomy of the motor vehicle, in particular in a compact vehicle.